CSA 2018

The 2018 summer CSA is now full!

We will be taking names for our waitlist. You’ll get early dibs on our fall CSA which begins at the end of September.

The Summer 2018 CSA will run for 16 weeks. As a member you will receive a box of our freshest vegetables once per week, for 16 weeks. You can find more information on box contents below.

Start date: Friday 1st June // End date: Friday 21st September
Shares that include an in-town pick-up include an extra transport fee.

Are you interested in becoming a member of our CSA program?

Please read carefully through this page before you decide to join us so you are fully informed about our CSA program. Registration will be open until March 31, or until we sell out. We encourage you to sign up as soon as you can, as shares sell fast!

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture

When you become a CSA member, you sign up and pre-pay for 16 weeks of produce (June 1 to mid-September 2018) from our five local farms. Each week, we pack up a share of freshly harvested produce and distribute it to our members. As a member, you can get your share at a pick-up station in Courtenay or Comox on Tuesdays. You can also choose to pick up your weekly share at beautiful Amara Farm on Fridays, in Campbell River on Wednesdays, or in Cumberland on Sundays.

A CSA is a local, farm-based distribution system for organic produce – it’s all about increasing community access to high-quality, locally grown produce. And it’s about strengthening the connection between eaters and farmers.

CSA members pledge to support local farms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Shares are purchased in the winter and early spring. Once harvesting begins, from June to September, members receive weekly shares of fresh, in-season produce from the farms.

Please read our CSA policy below to decide whether it is the right fit for you to join. If you have any questions, we’d love to chat with you. Drop us a line at: mervilleorganics@gmail.com

Weekly share contents

Our goal is to offer 6-8 different veggies each week, totaling an average value of $27. In general we try to include a bag of salad greens, a bunch of cooking greens, a bunch of root veggies, a bunch of herbs and round it out with a diversity of other seasonal veggies. We will occasionally bring in produce from other local organic growers this year to increase weekly variety.

Value or variety lost in one week (due to crop failures or weather or pest issues) will be made up in future weeks.

Perks!

New for 2018: RECIPE SECTION

Member only recipe section and menu planner! You will learn how to use everything from beet tops to potato water… nothing will go to waste.

Swap Box!

We are passionate about our veggies, but we understand that sometimes you just don’t want another clove of garlic, or you really have an aversion to turnips (even after trying all the turnip recipes we have) so we are offering a swap box. This gives you an opportunity to swap out an item you don’t need that week for another. This allows people who need extra garlic to swap their radishes and those who are planning a big kale and radish salad to trade in their garlic!

Referral Program

We run a referral program. For each new person you refer who signs up for our CSA program you will receive a $10 market credit which can be used at the Merville Organics stand at the CV & Cumberland Farmer’s Markets! A new member is anyone who was not a member of our previous CSA program. To receive your credits the person who you refer MUST provide us with your contact information. You do not have to be a CSA member to take advantage of our referral program, so if you love what we do but can’t commit for this year you’ll get a little bonus from us for promoting our program.

Your recommendation is the highest compliment we could receive as we strive to ensure you get the freshest, highest quality organic produce we can provide.

Merville Organics 2018 CSA Policy

2018 CSA season length & dates

This year, we are offering a CSA season of 16 weeks from Friday, June 1 until mid September, 2018. We host CSA pick-ups at Amara Farm, Comox, Courtenay, Campbell River and Cumberland.

Share cost

The value of shares will average out at $27 worth of produce/week. Because CSA members share in the risks and benefits of farming, value lost in one week’s share will be made up in future weeks. Shares delivered to our pick-up locations in Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland and Campbell River include a fuel surcharge for the season to help us get your vegetables to a convenient location.

Payment

You can purchase your share in a few ways: cash, cheque, e-transfer or with your credit card.

Share pick-up locations

Shares are picked up once a week by members at their chosen pick-up location. Pick-up days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday depending on the location. Currently we have confirmed the following locations for share pick-up:

Picking Up Your Order

If you miss your pick up due to unforeseen circumstances, don’t worry, we’ll hold onto it for you at Amara Farm (2641 Kirby Rd, Courtenay) for two days after your missed pick-up. Please come by the farm between 8 am – 8 pm to pick it up. Shares are kept in the walk-in cooler at the brown house. If you can bring your own box and leave us the blue tote, that’s a big help!

Communications

We ask that CSA members commit to reading email messages from us. It’s important that we have an efficient way of getting in touch if there are any changes to your pick-up location or time. It’s also important to us that you know a bit about what’s happening at our farms every week. It’s good to stay connected!

Vacation Time

If you are going on vacation, please drop us a line to let us know when you will be away at mervilleorganics@gmail.com. We can provide you a market credit for a missed week as long as we are informed at least one week in advance.

Refunds

All shares include a non-refundable deposit of $50. If you are unhappy with the CSA program and wish for a refund, we will reimburse you for the remaining weeks of shares minus the non-refundable deposit.

Summary of CSA Member Responsibilities

As a CSA Member, I understand that:

I share in the risk as well as the benefits of farming, and by purchasing a share, I commit to supporting local farms through good times and hard times.

I assume full responsibility for picking up my share and will communicate with Merville Organics by emailing mervilleorganics@gmail.com at least 1 week prior to my pick up if I will be away, OR I will arrange for someone else to pick up my share.

Amounts and variety of vegetables in weekly shares will fluctuate, depending on the season, and the effects of weather.

I am responsible for staying informed about updates and changes by reading weekly email sent by Merville Organics